End of the Ditka era.

Good Move Or Bad, Fans Burned At Way Firing Was Handled

The 40 lunchtime patrons jammed into a cozy sports bar in downtown Lake Forest were mesmerized by the image on the television screen.

They watched in silence as Mike Ditka choked back his emotions during a farewell address to the media Tuesday after being fired as coach of the Bears.

"Everyone just stared at the TVs like they were in shock," said Dee Dee Martin, a bartender at the Lantern for eight years. "It was very sad. I couldn't stand watching him. I didn't want to see him cry and leave the team. That's pretty much how everyone was feeling. When it was over, people just sort of walked away in silence."

The impact Mike Ditka had on Chicago was evident as TV stations pre-empted regular programming to televise the Lake Forest press conference. A radio disc jockey recounted the time he shouted encouragement to Ditka when the Bears played in London. Bars filled up their happy hours with Ditka talk.

The ex-coach's turbulent and volatile nature became embarrassing at times for Chicago sales representative Kelly Ryan.

"He was really beginning to make Chicago look bad with his outbursts at the press, his players and even the owners," she said. "He was beginning to lose his cool. I had felt it was time for him to go until I watched the final press conference.

"Now, I realize it all points back to (Bears president) Mike McCaskey. It wasn't Ditka's fault because he never had the control to get the best players. It's just ridiculous the way McCaskey won't spend money on players. Now, I think Mike Ditka should stay and Mike McCaskey should go."

"I think it stinks," said Palatine High School basketball coach Ed Molitor. "I thought he brought a vision and a sense of greatness back to the Bears that extended to the entire city of Chicago. Was it his fault the Bears kept losing players who helped them win a Super Bowl?"

Ditka's dismissal was the No. 1 topic of conversation among homeward bound commuters. Reactions ranged from canonizing Ditka to good riddance. There was a feeling that had Ditka behaved differently and kept quiet, Tuesday wouldn't have been his own personal D-Day. Some thought Ditka was too much of a "loose cannon" to mastermind a Bears resurgence.

"I think he should be put out for better days," said Chicago Fire Department systems engineer Paul Andrews. "He was starting to lose touch with his players and was becoming too commercial. He just wasn't Coach Ditka anymore. It looked like he burned himself out and didn't want to put up with coaching anymore."

Bears fans were unanimous in their disgust at the way Ditka was fired.

"You feel sorry for the guy, especially the way this situation was strung out," said computer programmer Ron Malek of Mt. Prospect. "He put in 11 years and was really, truly a Bear. But, I agree with McCaskey's decision.

For Palatine football coach Joe Petricca, Ditka's presence went well beyond locker room X's and O's.

"Let's face it, pro football is entertainment," he said, "and there is no one more entertaining than Mike Ditka.

"After firing (him), if they don't go out and drastically change the personnel, the Bears will lose games and also lose fans. If the Bears are tired of dealing with a strong personality like Ditka, they'd better become more entertaining on the field."

Burt Ury, a member of the Bulls and White Sox board of directors, said this could become a blessing in disguise for Ditka.

"This team is three years away from becoming a winner again," Ury said. "With his explosive temper, Mike wouldn't have been able to endure all the losing. He will be better off with a team that's closer to a championship.

"I've had a lifelong love affair with the Bears and I'm disappointed and sympathetic because of everything Mike did for the team. But you've got to divorce your emotions from it. We don't know what went on behind the scenes. Looking at it from a futuristic standpoint, maybe this is what's best for the Bears."